Coaches put stamp on their franchises

Falcons' Quinn out to make mark, as Eagles' Kelly has

Associated Press

Published 11:29 pm, Sunday, September 13, 2015

Photo: Matt Rourke

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FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2015, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly speaks with members of the media during a news conference ahead of NFL football training camp in Philadelphia. Winning 10 games two years in a row wasn't good enough for Kelly so he made bold changes. He won't stop until the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) ORG XMIT: NY155 less

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2015, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly speaks with members of the media during a news conference ahead of NFL football training camp in Philadelphia. Winning 10 ... more

Photo: Matt Rourke

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Wisconsin's Tanner McEvoy runs after catching a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Miami of Ohio Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) ORG XMIT: WIMG108 less

Wisconsin's Tanner McEvoy runs after catching a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Miami of Ohio Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) ORG XMIT: ... more

Photo: Morry Gash

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FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2015, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford drops back to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis. Eagles coach Chip Kelly couldn't land Marcus Mariota in the draft, so Bradford is his man and the key to the plan. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke, File) ORG XMIT: NY156 less

FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2015, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford drops back to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis. Eagles ... more

Handed the keys of the Philadelphia Eagles after just two years as their head coach, Kelly used his new personnel powers to give the team a radical makeover despite a pair of 10-win seasons. He'll get his first chance to see how all the changes worked out when the Eagles open the season Monday night in Atlanta.

"The greatest thing about coach Kelly is just his confidence," said Sam Bradford, the new starting quarterback. "He believes in himself. He believes in the system."

Quinn, making his coaching debut for the Falcons, is impressed by the job Kelly has done turning the Eagles into his own.

"They are totally committed to the style they want to play," Quinn said. "That's what I respect so much about him and his program."

Kelly traded starting quarterback Nick Foles and star running back LeSean McCoy, allowed top receiver Jeremy Maclin to walk in free agency, and dumped all but one starter in a shaky secondary. Philadelphia has 10 new starters, five on each side of the line.

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Philadelphia at Atlanta

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Quinn faces a major rebuilding job in Atlanta as he replaces Mike Smith, the winningest coach in franchise history but fired after going 10-22 the last two seasons.

For now, Quinn seems to have won over his players with his frenetic enthusiasm.

"You can just feel when he comes into the room, his excitement for the game," linebacker Justin Durant said. "Everyone was on board from the beginning."